Summary

In the “Prologue,” set in the present day, a granddaughter asked her grandmother to tell the story of how she and her grandfather met.

In “Chapter 1,” in March 1973 Tina Craig woke from a nightmare in which she dreamed her abusive, alcoholic husband, Rick, was beating her to death. Rick had lost his job but spent their money on gambling, drinking and smoking. He had first hit her on their wedding night. He believed she had been flirting with a man with whom she had been dancing. He brought her a bouquet of flowers the next day when he apologized. It was only later she found a card in the bouquet and realized he had stolen the flowers from a cemetery.

Tina was saving money in order to leave Rick. She had fifty pounds saved up but knew it was not enough. Before...